Golden Shadow
by EbonyShroud
Summary: It is the eve of Princess Zelda's sixteenth birthday and a ball is being held in her honor. However, a dark presence lurks in the festive crowd, waiting for the opportunity to silence the princess.
1. The Ball during Twilight

The sky above Hyrule Castle was lit with bright ruby and gold light as the sun sank into the western horizon. The sunset's brilliant glow was ignored by many inside the large castle except one. Princess Zelda stood by the window, watching the sun set beyond the Gerudo Valley and the lands beyond the desert with the sense of contentment.

"Princess, you need to get ready," A female voice called. Zelda turned and regarded the woman who had called out to her. Her bodyguard and her former nurse Impa glared back, her towering figure making the nervous handmaiden beside her look diminutive and child-like.

"Yes, I know," Zelda replied with a sigh as she walked away from the window. The handmaiden walked away from Impa's side, setting a dark cerulean dress and light blue slip on an armchair.

"What shall you be wearing for the ball, Impa?" Zelda asked as the handmaiden helped her out of her dress. The golden shoulder pauldrons came off first and was deposited gently onto the floor and the pink corset followed it.

"I shall wear my Sheikah robes, princess. Your father has granted me permission to wear them," Impa replied.

"You should leave and prepare, Miss Impa, if you are to be ready when the Princess is," The handmaiden stated nervously. The Sheikah glared at the younger girl, but turned and swept out of the room without another word.

"Does Impa frighten you?" Zelda asked curiously as she removed the dress.

"A little, princess," The girl admitted as she walked to the armchair. She picked up the light blue slip and set the first dress on the armchair.

"Is it because she is a Sheikah?" Zelda questioned. The girl blushed angrily and looked away.

"Yes, princess. But, you trust her and I place my trust in you, princess, so…" The girl mumbled as she walked forward. Zelda smiled sadly to herself as the girl helped her into the light blue slip. The memories of when she masqueraded as a Sheikah boy named Sheik during the seven years of Ganondorf's reign surfaced, dim after being hidden at the back of her mind for another seven long years.

"Did I say something offensive, princess? I beg your pardon, it's not my place to judge!" The girl stammered, interrupting Zelda's thoughts. Zelda looked down at the handmaiden, who seemed torn between fear and worry.

"You did not say anything to offend me," Zelda replied. The handmaiden sighed in relief as she aided Zelda with her corset and pulled the dark cerulean over Zelda's head. When the second layer was adjusted, the final addition to the dress was snapped around Zelda's waist. The banner unfolded downwards, proudly displaying the Royal Family emblem and the Triforce.

"Do you know who is to attend?" Zelda asked as she walked to see her reflection in the mirror sitting on an old vanity. The dark cerulean dress conformed to Zelda's figure, the light blue slip peeking out from behind the banner and the folds of the dress.

"Several princes from the neighboring countries are to attend, as well as the princess of the Zoras, Ruto, and the female leader of the Gerudos, Nabooru. The high court of Hyrule and the nobles will also be in attendence," The handmaiden jumped at Impa's voice. Zelda looked up at the mirror and saw the reflection of her attendent standing in the doorway. She wore long violet robes with loose flowing sleeves and leggings. The black tabard bearing the blood-red emblem of the Sheikah was worn over the robe.

"Thank you, Impa," Zelda replied as she turned to face Impa. The Sheikah smiled warmly.

"You look lovely, princess. We must go now," Impa stated, stepping away from the door so that Zelda could move past her. Zelda nodded and walked towards the door.

* * *

The entrance hall where the ball was to take place was lit with large festive lamps and small tables made an arch around the room. On one side, the tables had been shifted so that an orchestra could sit. Near the far end of the hall, a long table was set for the high court and the royalty to sit at. She could see her father already sitting at the table, his age beginning to show in his golden hair and in his smile. Princess Ruto was also at her seat, dressed in a long black ballgown and looking uncomfortable. Beside her, Nabooru stared at the crowd filtering in from the courtyards with a mixture of bemusement and boredom. Nabooru was wearing a dress as well, a thin light gold dress that made her eyes seem to glitter. Impa led her charge through the crowd, reaching the table without interference. Her seat was on the right side of her father with Princess Ruto sitting on her right.

"Good evening, Princess Zelda," Ruto greeted as Zelda sat down in her chair.

"Good evening Princess Ruto, Nabooru," Zelda replied. Nabooru turned at the sound of her name and smiled weakly before she began watching the nobles again.

"Good evening, Impa," Ruto continued, looking to the Sheikah standing just behind Zelda. Impa smiled and nodded her head before she started scanning the crowd for threats.

"Thank you for coming tonight," Zelda whispered.

"It is no problem. However, I wish they hadn't insisted I wear this bulky thing. It scratches my skin and it presses my fins inwards," Ruto whispered back, plucking at the dress in distate and annoyance.

"Are you wearing a slip? That could help the chafing," Zelda asked in confusion.

"What is a slip? I never knew what a dress was until two days ago, so I don't know what a slip is," Ruto replied in confusion. Nabooru snorted, earning herself a glare from Ruto.

"A slip goes underneath a dress to keep it from scratching the skin and to keep a person from over-heating," Zelda answered.

"Thank you. What was that laugh for, Nabooru?" Ruto growled, turning to glare at the Gerudo. Nabooru regarded her for a moment and opened her mouth to say something.

"Hush, the king is about to speak," Impa growled, effectively silencing Nabooru's retort. Zelda turned to see that her father had stood up. The entrance hall became silent as they waited for the king to speak.

"Welcome to Hyrule Castle! It is an honor to have so many come to celebrate Princess Zelda's sixteenth birthday. I bid you to enjoy yourselves," The king called. The king nodded towards the orchestra and they broke into song, signalling the start of the ball.


	2. The Dancing Nobles

As the orchestra began playing, several nobles approached the Royal Table to speak with Zelda and to wish her many more years of health and happiness. Impa helped Zelda by whispering their names and where they had come from, so that Zelda did not appear foolish should she forget their names and titles.

"This is Duke Remn of Labyrnna, Duke Ren of Kakariko Village, and Prince Lestat from…" Impa whispered quietly, keeping her head facing downwards so that the approaching gentlemen did not notice the Sheikah talking to Zelda. While Zelda and Ruto listened to Impa, Nabooru lounged lazily in her seat and was experimenting with the wines sitting at the table.

"We wish you a very joyful birthday and pray that you live for many more to come," The duke from Kakariko said as he bowed to Zelda.

"Thank you, Duke Ren," Zelda replied. The duke smiled, bowed once to Ruto, glared at Nabooru, and returned to the mass of nervous nobles that were obviously trying to work up the courage to ask the ladies to dance. While several brave souls had swallowed their fear and were dancing with several noble ladies, many looked too nervous to dare ask.

"Princess Zelda, it is an honor to attend the ball celebrating your coming-to-age," The person following the duke, a tall brown-haired man with a near-perfect smile, said.

"I am pleased that you could come, Prince Lestat," Princess Zelda replied with a smile.

"If I may ask, who are your friends?" He asked, glancing at Nabooru and Ruto with faint curiosity and amusement.

"This is Princess Ruto of the Zoras and Lady Nabooru, leader of the Gerudo tribe that resides in Hyrule's lands," Zelda replied. Ruto smiled and nodded her head to the prince, while Nabooru nodded and returned to tasting the wine.

"It's lovely to meet the two of you. If it may be allowed, would Princess Ruto care for a dance?" He asked silkily, holding a hand towards the Zora princess. She blushed and nodded, standing up to walk around the long Royal Table. He met her around the end of the table and escorted her to the dancing couples. Zelda watched the two dance before she noticed Nabooru select another wine to test.

"Nabooru, you might be a friend, but don't drink too much and start frightening the gentlemen here," Zelda warned.

"Do not worry, the wine is far too sweet for my tastes. You must come to the fortress sometime and taste real wine, wine that is not overflowing with sugar and nectar," Nabooru replied with a wide grin as she placed the silver goblet she had been swirling in her hand back onto the table.

"Princess, Sir Traven is approaching," Impa interrupted their conversation. Zelda looked forward and noticed the nobleman that often helped her father with the affairs of the council approach the table.

"Princess, I wish you a wonderful birthday and for many more wonderful birthdays to come," He said as he bowed low to her.

"Thank you for your kind words," Zelda replied. Zelda thought she caught the glimpse of a faint blush on the nobleman's cheeks, but he hid it by bowing again and looking towards Nabooru.

"It is an honor to meet you as well, Lady Nabooru," He said, struggling momentarily with the word lady as he glared at her.

"As it is my honor to meet you, Sir Traven. You are such a lovely man," She replied as she propped her elbows on the table and stared back with bright mischevious eyes. The man's glare quickly vanished and was replaced with open worry and fear.

"I have matters to attend to. Have a pleasant evening, Princess," He stammered before vanishing into the crowd. Nabooru chuckled in amusement before she began playing with the goblet again.

"You enjoy tormenting men, don't you," Impa whispered quietly, her words only reaching the ears of Zelda and Nabooru.

"I do, it's entertaining to watch men squirm under your gaze and attempt to appear strong when their hearts are fragile and weak. That Traven boy is cowardly, I'm surprised you gave him the rank of knight," Nabooru replied with a faint purr in her voice.

"His father was the Captain of the Guard and much is expected from Traven. He has already shown skill with the sword," Zelda replied. Nabooru shrugged and began watching the crowd; several men glanced at her and were encouraged by her stare to flee towards the ladies.

"Princess," Impa suddenly warned. Zelda was snapped away from Nabooru and forward to see who was coming.

* * *

A tall boy, perhaps around Zelda's own age, stood in front of her. He was dressed in rich finery of black and gold, his black hair was tied in a loose ponytail, and his skin was pale. He wore a bemused smile on his face; as if he hadn't expected what he was seeing. A rush of familiarity overwhelmed Zelda for a moment, although it was immediately squashed with confusion. Impa had not told her who this person was.

"Good evening, Princess Zelda. It is an honor to be in your presence," The strange boy said, bowing just as the others had before him.

"Thank you. I'm afraid we have not met before," Zelda stated slowly, racking her brain for the man's name. However, she couldn't find the name she needed.

"No, I do not believe so. My name is Krad Avor; I am a nobleman from Terminia," He replied slowly. His eyes, red like a Sheikah's eyes, bored into Zelda's own cerulean eyes as if looking for an answer behind them.

"Thank you for coming, Sir Avor. I hope you enjoy the rest of your time here in Hyrule," Zelda replied. Krad smiled thinly before bowing again and walking back into the crowd.

"Interesting fellow, that Krad is," Nabooru stated softly as she watched him rejoin the crowd.

"Impa, why did you not tell me his name before he reached the table?" Zelda whispered quietly, keeping her eyes trained on the strange man.

"I don't know who Krad Avor is, Princess," Impa replied.

"Really, you don't know him? That's gotten my interest! I'll go find out about him," Nabooru said as she stood up and walked around the table towards the man. Several men scattered from her path, recognizing her as a Gerudo from her red hair and yellow eyes. Krad, however, did not flee as the others did when he noticed her approach.

"Who's Nabooru talking to?" Zelda jumped in surprise and Ruto slid into the seat next to Zelda's chair.

"He says he's a noble from Terminia named Krad Avor," Zelda whispered.

"Really, a nobleman from Terminia? He looks awfully familiar," Ruto replied thoughtfully, reaching to grab a goblet of water that had been set out for her by one of the many servants that were assigned to assist with the ball.

"He does look familiar, but I have never heard his name before," Zelda replied thoughtfully as they watched Nabooru talk with the strange noble. After sharing a few words with him, she said her goodbyes to Krad Avor and came walking back towards them with a thin smile on her face.


	3. The Ladies' Gossip

Zelda thought Nabooru would talk immediately of what she learned from the strange noble, but the woman instead slumped lazily in her chair and grabbed the wine goblet in front of her.

"I thought you did not like our wine, Nabooru. You said it was too sweet," Zelda said as the Gerduo gulped down the wine she had earlier.

"I forgot about that," Nabooru replied sourly as she set down the empty goblet and scowled at it.

"So, what about the noble you were talking to. I noticed he did not run away from you," Ruto whispered, eager for gossip.

"Oh, him. He is a quiet boy; he did not want to talk much about himself or Termina," Nabooru growled, glaring at a nobleman who was attempting discreetly to listen into their conversation. The man stared back in surprise and faint fear before he walked off and joined the dancing couples. Zelda watched the noble, noticing that the orchestra had begun playing a slow waltz. She listened momentarily before she noticed that Ruto was speaking and returned to their conversation.

"What did you talk him about, then?" Ruto asked curiously. Nabooru started to speak, but she was interrupted as the music halted and the dancers stopped to clap.

"Princess, there are refreshments being served now," Impa growled. Zelda looked up towards the Sheikah woman and nodded slightly. They waited until the servers served the refreshments, which ranged from the normal appetizers of lightly roasted snails and hors d'oeurves to the rare delicacies that were donated as a present from the Gerudo Tribes, the Zora Royal Family, the Terminian Royal Courts, and the other visiting nobles. Ruto and Nabooru smiled as the delicacies they had chosen to give to the Royal Court were presented before them. The Zoras had contributed by bringing a barrel of black succulent fish eggs known as Elbenven, difficult for the Zoras to harvest because the fish had a short period when they were eggs. The Gerudos contributed with a roasted boar stuffed with the soft innards of the plants that managed to survive in the harsh desert, a meal only served at the Gerudo's religious festivals.

"May the Lady of the Sun bless…" Zelda heard Nabooru whisper before her words shifted into another language, changing easily from Hylian to the sharp but graceful language of her ancestors. Ruto whispered a prayer to the deity her people followed as well before she began tasting the Elbenven.

"May the Godesses continue to bless our land, which has provided us with this meal," Zelda quietly prayed.

"So, did you manage to find anything about him, Nabooru?" Ruto asked as she stared at the boar with a look of both astonishment and curiosity.

"Nothing, besides that his name is Krad Avor, he is supposedly from Termina, and is content with people leaving him alone," Nabooru replied as she tried to take some of the Elbenven. The eggs slipped off her fork. She scowled and continued to try and get the eggs on her fork until Ruto, out of pity, helped her by taking away the fork and replacing the utensil with a spoon.

"Impa, can you see what you can find about Sir Avor?" Zelda asked quietly as she watched Nabooru finally manage to get a hold of the fish eggs and try them. Her face contorted with faint revulsion, which she quickly hid with her napkin before Ruto noticed. The Zora was too busy reaching out to try the boar to notice Nabooru's disgust.

"Princess, I do not believe I should leave your side," Impa replied softly.

"I will be okay, I am with Nabooru and Ruto," Zelda whispered before she noticed a servant attempting to listen in on their conversation while filling her father's glass with cranberry wine. Having been caught by the princess, the servant looked at her in terror before he fled into the crowd.

"I still do not find this wise," Impa growled. However, Zelda heard the brush of cloth against cloth and watched as Impa walked away from the table to vanish into the servants' prime hiding places behind the wooden doors. If anyone knew information about the noble, it would be the gossiping servant girls and envious handmaidens.

"This boar is very interesting, Nabooru," Ruto said before she looked away and gagged into a napkin. The Gerudo had been distracted by a servant boy who was attempting to refill her goblet with wine, allowing Ruto enough time to spit out the boar meat and shove the napkin beneath the table.

"The, what did you call them again, Elbenven was delicious as well, Ruto," Nabooru said as she looked towards the Zora and smiled as sweetly as she could. The servant boy took advantage of the Gerudo's distraction and quickly refilled the goblet before vanishing into the crowd. Zelda smiled as her companions complimented the other delicacies, hoping to hide the fact that they despised the food. Zelda reached out and took some of the Elbenven, interested to try the fish eggs, when something warm brushed against her legs. She didn't notice it, but Ruto jumped in her seat and looked beneath the table.

"Zelda, some creature snuck in," Ruto said as she straightened up, flinching again. Zelda gently lifted the white tablecloth so that she could see without alerting any of the nobles and saw a silver cat licking Ruto's legs.

"That's my cat," Zelda said.

"You have a cat?" Nabooru asked quietly as she glared at her refilled goblet.

"Yes, Father gave it to me several years ago. He must have snuck in while the servants were bringing out the delicacies you had so graciously contributed," She said as she took a sliver of boar meat and dangled it beside her chair. The smell of the meat enticed the cat, which padded away from Ruto and stole it from Zelda's hand. Before the cat could flee with his prize, Zelda grabbed the cat by his scruff. He ignored her as he ate the boar meat, mewling when he was finished.

"If Impa returns before I do, tell her that I had to bring Malo, the cat, out of the hall. Please excuse me," Zelda said as she scooped the cat to her chest. The cat mewed in contentment as she made sure the nobles could not see the cat and swept past the table and out a secret door.


	4. The Curious Cat

Zelda sighed as she walked down the corridor; the cat nestled against her chest purred loudly. She could still hear the festive music and cheerful voices of the visitors behind her, despite the heavy wooden door separating the corridor from the main hall.

"Why must you always wander around in places you should not be? Don't you remember the time when Father found you lapping from his wine glass during the council meeting?" She admonished, glaring down at the creature. He looked up at her, merry golden eyes twinkling, and yawned. Zelda smiled despite of herself, her annoyance melting away with the simple bored yawn.

"Princess?" A voice interrupted her thoughts and she looked up to see a handmaiden staring at her in confusion. The girl was carrying a large basket filled to the brim with fabrics of various colors and lengths, most likely clothes that needed to be cleaned.

"I do beg your pardon, but why are you not in the hall?" She asked, awkwardly shifting the basket so that she could curtsy to the princess. A red silk shawl slipped from the basket as she curtsied, although the girl did not notice the shawl's escape.

"This little one escaped from my chambers and was wandering around the hall," Zelda replied, lifting the cat so that the handmaiden could see him. Malo complained loudly about the sudden movement, his mewl made the girl smile.

"Can you take him to my chambers and make sure he doesn't wander? I must return to the festivities," Zelda said.

"Of course, princess!" The girl quickly replied, quickly setting down the basket so that her hands would be free. The girl gently took the cat, smiling as she set him down on the fabrics. The cat purred and nestled into the fabric, closing his eyes as if he was about to sleep in the folds of the many fabrics. The girl curtsied once more before retrieved the fallen shawl, picked up the basket, and vanished down another corridor. Zelda smiled and began walking back towards the music.

* * *

"Hi, what's your name?" The girl giggled as she walked down the hall, smiling at the cat. The silver cat ignored her, although she could faintly hear purring.

"Well, my name's Maura. We are going to make a quick stop down the hall; these fine clothes are in sore need of cleaning. Are you hungry?" Maura replied. The cat's ears twitched and he sleepily turned his head to stare at her.

"Okay, maybe we can stop by the kitchens and see what we can find for you," Maura said. She continued on until she reached a dark mahogany door. After a slight struggle, she managed to open the door and was greeted by a rush of hot humid air. Several women, her elders by at least ten years if not more, were scrubbing clothes with fresh soap and hot water. One of the ladies, a heavyset woman with a bright red face, noticed her.

"Put those over there, girl," She shouted, motioning towards an open spot. Maura nodded and rushed over, depositing the basket and picking up the cat.

"Is there anything else you need?" She called. The lady glared at her, looked at the cat she cradled in her arms, and shook her head. Maura smiled and ran, glad that she had never been assigned to work there. The cat purred quietly, his head against her chest and the tip of his tail curled underneath his furry chin.

"Okay, now we shall head for the kitchens," Maura said. The cat's purrs grew louder, as if he was making sure she knew he wanted to go to the kitchens. She giggled, amused by the cat's response. She kept on walking, wondering where the kitchens were in correlation to her current location when she noticed that the cat had stopped purring. She glanced downwards and stopped, the hairs on the back of her neck tingled in sudden nervousness. The cat was glaring down the corridor, the thick silver fur on his back were standing up in thick tufts and his muscles tense. His mouth opened and a slow hiss erupted from his throat, tiny sharp teeth glimmered in the torchlight.

"What's wrong?" She said. The cat hissed slowly and leapt from her arms, raking her arms with his claws as he used her arms to propel himself forwards. He landed daintily on his paws and continued to hiss angrily, arching his back and twitching his tail in agitation. Maura looked up to see what upset him so much to see someone standing in the corridor, as if waiting for someone to arrive. The stranger was a tall man dressed in dark clothes.

"Sir, are you lost?" She called out, wondering if she was supposed to curtsy to the stranger. The head maid told her to always curtsy when in the presence of nobility or the royal family, but never went into detail on to whom she should curtsy to. The man did not respond, although he stared at the cat with an expression of faint amusement.

"Excuse me, sir…" She started to call again when she was interrupted by a shrill hiss. The cat backed up until it collided with her legs, its tiny frame shaking despite his angry hissing. She looked down at it, and noticed that the man was walking towards her; his pace was quick and even.

"Sir?" She called one last time before the cat shrieked again. In response to the cat, the man grinned. Maura felt panic flood her muscles, but barely managed a step backwards and a breath for a scream before the man struck at her. A single flash of silver streaked the air and Maura suddenly felt pain and warmth on her neck. Her knees collapsed as warm liquid sprayed down her front, so overwhelmed by the strange sensation of drowning that she did not notice the man vanish.

* * *

When Zelda returned to her seat, the festive music had been replaced by a slow formal waltz. She noticed that Nabooru's seat was empty and glanced at the crowd. For a moment, she could not find the Gerudo in the nervous men and the blushing ladies. However, she spotted her dancing with a frightened-looking man dressed in dark navy, oblivious to her partner's distress.

"Why is Nabooru torturing that man?" Zelda asked quietly as she sat down. Ruto glanced at her with a faint grin on his face.

"Well, I believe it is the issue that 'Sir' Bane asked her for the dance. He did not know she was a Gerudo until she accepted his offer and one of his friends whispered it to him as she walked around the table. Poor soul, he must be afraid she will carry him away to her fortress and ravish him," Ruto giggled.

"At least he still decided to dance with her, despite the fact that she is a Gerudo. I do not believe she would have accepted suddenly being denied a dance," Zelda continued. Ruto nodded and the two continued to watch the pair.

"Princess?" Zelda managed to keep herself from jumping, recognizing that it was Impa who had snuck up behind her.

"Yes, Impa?" Zelda asked.

"I was unable to find any information on Sir Avor from the servants, all they mentioned about him was about his appearance, " Impa stated, her voice thick with annoyance.

"What about the other Terminian representatives?" Zelda asked.

"I was unable to ask them, do you wish that I question them?" Impa asked.

"Speaking of our mysterious Sir Avor, he's vanished," Ruto interrupted, staring at the crowds. Zelda turned and scanned the crowd, wondering why he suddenly vanished. The flowing music ended during her search, the people turned and clapped enthusiastically before a lively new song began. More couples rushed to start dancing, less nervous with the faster tempo and lighter atmosphere. Nabooru spoke softly to the man and returned to the table, a bright smile on her face.

"I think you should ask…" Zelda said softly before she noticed someone approaching the table. She broke off her statement and smiled to the approaching figure.

"Princess Zelda, may I honor you with a dance?" He said, bowing low. Impa hissed something, although Zelda was unable to understand. She decided that she should ask Impa what she had muttered later when they were in her private chambers before addressing the person before her.

"It would be an honor, Prince Lestat," Zelda replied.


	5. The Dance of Fear

**A/N: Just to make sure everyone's clear, Prince Lestat has absolutely nothing to do with the character designed by Anne Rice. I thought I was so clever, making up the name, and then I see it in large gold writing on a bookstore shelf and remembered that Anne Rice abhors fanfiction. Oh well, sometimes someone else gets to the name first.**

* * *

As Zelda walked around the table to meet with the prince, she glanced at Impa. The Sheikah's face was dark with a mixture of worry and distaste, two emotions that Zelda rarely saw. Sir Avor's strange arrival and disappearance was truly bothering Impa. However, she quickly forgot about the woman's worry when Prince Lestat took her by the arm and led her towards the dancing couples. A brief opening formed in the swirling dancers and Lestat took the opportunity, sweeping Zelda into the mass of couples. Zelda stumbled slightly at the rush into the dance, but quickly adjusted before she made the mistake of stepping on the prince's toes. Her dance instructor had lectured her for many years about the importance of making sure not to step on any feet or to falter and she wasn't about to put her instructor to shame.

"You are certainly a wonderful dancer, Princess. I am truly surprised," He said with a faint laugh.

"Were you expecting me to trip over the hems of my dress or crush your toes under my feet?" She replied, feeling a smile begin to form on her lips.

"I've met many noble ladies who have done so and more, all while blushing and swooning and begging for attention. Although none of the ladies could match your beauty," Lestat answered. Zelda felt her cheeks blush and she prepared a retort, but the music ended before she could speak. All the dancers stopped as the music died away and applauded for the orchestra. The man that was directing the orchestra acknowledged the applause with a swift nod before he started the orchestra with another bright song. Lestat extended a hand towards Zelda, a gesture she quickly accepted.

"You are a charmer," She said as they began dancing once again. At the comment, he burst into bright laughter. The laughter surprised a nearby couple, causing them to falter and end up knocking another couple off-balance. The second couple yelped in surprise as they tried to regain their balance before the woman stepped on the hem of her light-green down and the duo fell to the floor. Zelda smiled to herself as she saw the two try to avoid being stepped on before the duo vanished behind flurried skirts and dancing feet.

"Oh dear," The prince said as he sheepishly tried to see if the couple he had unnerved and the fallen couple were okay. Zelda couldn't resist a smile at the prince's embarrassment. Then, she noticed a flash of black among the swirling dancers. She quickly searched the crowd and noticed that it was Sir Avor. She almost didn't recognize the man, for his hair had escaped from its ponytail and his black-and-gold outfit was wrinkled. He noticed that she was staring at him and glared at her, red eyes glimmering with hidden emotions and his scowl becoming an annoyed frown before a couple danced between them. By the time the blushing woman and the nervous man had moved away, Sir Avor had vanished back into the crowd surrounding the dancing couples.

"Princess?" Lestat started to ask before a shrill, terrified scream broke over the light giddy music. The dancers stopped in mid-spin and the orchestra fumbled to a screeching halt as teh screech startled them. The silence that followed the shriek quickly was destroyed as ladies and lords alike began muttering to themselves as they looked around and searched for the source of the noise. Zelda noticed her father stand up and search of the hysterical scream, his face grim and lips twisted into a dark grimace. She heard several women nearby yelp in annoyance and shock before she was pulled away from Lestat. A strong arm curled around her as she was pulled protectively back. She glanced up to see Impa towering over her; the Sheikah glanced down assuring to the princess before returning to watch the nervous crowd surrounding them. Several ladies and the prince stared at Impa before they decided to focus more on the interruption than Zelda's guardian.

"Your highness!" A terrified female voice shrieked and the crowd parted to allow a serving-girl to scamper towards the king. Once she reached the Royal Table, she stopped her desperate run and stood in front of the table shaking in terror.

"What is the meaning of this, girl?" He thundered. The serving-girl froze for a moment, mouth open and shivering with fear before words managed to escape her.

"S-S-Someone killed Mu-Maura! She's d-d-dead. G-Goddesses, there's a m-m-urd…" She sputtered before her terror overcame her. She fell to her knees and sobbed, ignorant on how she appeared to the nobles around her. The nobles quickly stopped gawking at the servant girl and began panicking, women clutching the nearest man to them and the men shouting in all directions for an explanation. Impa quickly acted, escorting Zelda through the panicked crowd to the nearest hidden door. Zelda kept as close as she could to Impa, glancing around the crowd before she was swept through the door and into the side-chamber. Their arrival startled several rosy-cheeked serving-girls, who had been taking swigs from a wine bottle and gossiping. They stared in astonishment at Zelda and Impa.

"You two, go out and fetch Princess Ruto the Zora and Nabooru the Gerudo. Bring them to the Red Antechamber immediately," Impa ordered.

"What's going on?" One of the girls asked nervously as the other girl quietly hid the bottle from sight.

"I gave you an order, now follow it!" Impa roared. The girls quickly leapt up and dashed past them, frightened into action by the angry Sheikah's words. Impa took Zelda's hand and led her out of the side-room into the corridor linking the side-chamber to one of the castle's kitchens. Zelda mutely followed the Sheikah down several corridors and up several flights of stairs until they reached a large room. Zelda smiled grimly as she recognized the Red Antechamber, a room that was created to confuse assassins, thieves, and other notorious intruders. There were seven doors that led to various traps that would incapacitate the intruder, leaving him or her unable to complete their task or capable of escaping. The eighth door was hidden behind one of the many red curtains that covered the walls. Impa walked across the room and shoved aside the embroidered curtain hiding the eighth door, revealing a stone wall. She reached up and pulled an hidden lever. There was a loud snick and the wall Impa had exposed earlier slid away.

"Inside, Princess," Impa growled, gesturing for Zelda to go through the entrance. Zelda glanced back towards the entrance and briefly wondered about Ruto and Nabooru.

"There is no time for you to think. I will wait here for the others, just get inside!" Impa said impatiently, reaching out to grab onto Zelda's arm and gently pulling on her arm. Zelda jumped in surprise and glanced apologetically to Impa before she rushed into the entrance of the passage. Impa stared grimly back at her before she activated the switch again and the stone wall slid back into place. Zelda stared at the wall for a moment before she turned and noticed the stairs before her. The staircase was covered in cobwebs and mold, showing how ill-used the passage had become. Zelda grimaced before she slowly began climbing the stairs.


End file.
